


The Green Alliance

by Ryuutsu



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: (I guess?) - Freeform, Bonding, Build up, Comedy, Drugs, Elfroot, Fluff, M/M, Smoking, argument, late night conversation, overcoming differences
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-03
Updated: 2015-08-03
Packaged: 2018-04-12 20:39:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4493946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ryuutsu/pseuds/Ryuutsu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hawke's group of misfits seems to have discovered a new method of relaxation, but after Hawke takes his leave, Anders and Fenris are left to experience the effects of smoking elfroot by themselves. Strangely enough, it ends up bringing them closer together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Green Alliance

**Author's Note:**

> For Fenders Appreciation Week.
> 
> So this started when I had a 'Anders and Fenris getting high' AU idea, which I now somehow transferred into this short-ish canon thing. I hope it somewhat works? It's been quite a while since I wrote anything other than a RP reply, so bear with me!
> 
> Also, let's pretend Justice would allow Anders to partake in this, just this once. Okay? Okay.

»You've got this all backwards! « Anders cried out, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration as he instinctively handed the rolled elfroot to the elf sitting next to him, flinching nervously at the unanticipated contact their fingers made in the process.

 

They have been at it since they lit this last one, and with Hawke having excused himself due to family matters, no one remained to halt their never-ending argument that now, with what they were smoking releasing some of the usual mental blockage, just seemed to be picking up its pace.

 

»Magisters didn't gain their position of power _because_ they are mages — they got there _despite_ being mages. They wanted power, and they took it. Any organized force could do that! «

»And you believe magic did not play to their advantage? « Fenris countered bitterly and, upon noticing the elfroot roll had gone out, reached out over the mess of blankets that was Anders' cot to find the candle. The crackling noise of burning paper and dried herb, followed by a single exhale broke the pause he made in between his words. »Are you too blind to see the power it offers when it is used as a weapon? «

Anders huffed, glancing momentarily at the bright orange dot that appeared among the dim light of his room when Fenris took another drag. He had a response at the tip of his tongue, but his mind began to take on the familiar blurry feeling, and he suddenly found himself chasing after his own trail of thought.

»Sure, but— That is, well—! « He frowned at himself in order to regain concentration. »Not all of us use it as a weapon.«

»I believe _you_ do, mage – do you not? «

»Well... Yes. But only when necessary — and no more than you do with your sword.« Anders mentally cursed himself for momentarily losing his footing in the argument – the blighted elf seemed to have a higher tolerance for elfroot.

 

It was hard to believe, truly, that they had even ended up in the same room, let alone smoking together. Without supervision.  

Hawke should've known better than leaving them alone, Anders thought. He could only speak for himself really, but he was fairly certain neither of them would have agreed to this 'casual gathering' if they were made aware Hawke would take his leave.

It wasn't that Anders truly hated the Tevinter elf, mind you; after all the years of knowing him, the initial anger he felt for Fenris had subsided to a minor feeling of by now familiar irritation. He knew both sides and points of their arguments by heart at this rate, and the almost routine exchange they practiced had, while still remaining passionately spoken for on both ends, become a convenient way to fill in the silence. The fights, the animosity... That was the base of their relationship, it was who they knew each other to be, and neither of them seemed to know how, or want to, move past it.

 

Fenris leaned back against the wall, pinning the mage with a glare that seemed way too sharp for someone who just had their fair share of green, extending his hand ever so slightly to offer the paper roll for the taking.

»I am incapable of summoning demons with my _sword_ , « the elf stated darkly, observing as Anders unsteadily reached out at a rather awkward angle. »Nor do I lack the wit to not play with fire. «

That had Anders wince, resulting in the burning tip of the object he was reaching for brushing against his skin.

»—Ow! «

The mage swiftly retracted his hand, his first instinct bringing the burnt area to his mouth to rely on the natural healing powers of the saliva. It took him a few longer moments to realize the futility of his action and then finally send a quick burst of healing magic to mend the damaged skin. Maker, he certainly was quite a mess.

The sound he then heard caught him completely by surprise, and Anders would attribute it to anyone else but the elf, had they not been alone in the room.

Fenris snorted. A quiet, brief snort – but a snort nonetheless, Anders was certain.

»—What now? « the mage demanded, somewhat irritated by the other's reaction.

»You have just proven my point, mage, « Fenris remarked. His voice was rough and deep as usual, but his tone seemed perhaps a tad lighter than a few moments ago.

»What—? You cannot seriously expect to judge me by— by—,« Anders tried to find the words, but they would not come. »—by... _this_!« he awkwardly concluded.

»Can one not judge a mefalicar by— «

All of a sudden, there was a pause, and it took Anders a moment to realize what just happened.

»A malecifar— Mafilecar. Melif— No. « Fenris shook his head slightly and frowned, a state of pure confusion taking over his face. »I meant— «

All of Anders' previous irritation vaporized into thin air, and he just stared at his companion, blinking in surprise, before an amused smirk tugged on the corner of his lips.

»What was that, Fenris? « the healer prompted further.

The elf seemed to merely stare ahead blankly for the longest of moments, before finally opening his mouth to speak again.

»I...« he stammered without looking at Anders, the voice catching in his throat. »...forgot. «

 

Silence fell upon the room as the mage's brain attempted to process what it witnessed. His mouth opened in disbelief, and for a while they were both simply frozen in their places.

 

And then Anders burst out laughing.

 

It was a brisk kind of laugh at first, a mere degree above cackling, but then quickly exploded like one of his fire spells into a full on guffaw, and then he could not stop for the life of him. Of course, the awkwardness of the situation, or the fact that he was in it at all, with Fenris no less, did nothing to help the impossibly hilarious irony of the matter.

Startled by that sudden outburst, Fenris flinched and turned to face the mage, his eyes wide with surprise and uncertainty.

»Mage, what—? « he attempted.

That seemed to only fuel Anders further, as he doubled over with laughter again, a hand over his mouth in a futile attempt to muffle the sound.

 

After a while, even the uncertainty on the elven warrior's face slowly melted into something less tense, and as he put out the long forgotten elfroot roll and once again leaned back against the wall, a brief hint of a smile passed his lips as well.

 

Neither of them was entirely certain how long it took for the laughter to die out, or when it had turned into the unusually comfortable silence that broke them out of their fighting routine, and then lasted until sleep came to claim them.

But what Anders realized somewhere between closing his eyes and waking up with his limbs entangled with Fenris', was that he never felt closer to the elf before.

 


End file.
